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Majesty Gardens' Baldon Todd (right) matches up against Urban Knights' Javon Bailey during game two of the Flow/JBA National Basketball League Southern Conference semi-finals at the Stadium Courts in 2009.

With the National Basketball League (NBL) set to restart in just under two weeks, manager of the Majesty Gardens Legends, Chisena Campbell, said they are desperate need of gears and other supplies to compete this year's competition.

Campbell warned that basketball plays a crucial role in maintaining peace in the community and is hoping support will shortly arrive.

Twenty-four teams are to participate in the competition, which is scheduled to begin on January 20.

Campbell told Star Sports that they have approached a number of persons seeking sponsorship, but they are yet to receive any response.

"The team really needs assistant in terms of gears and sneakers and we need somebody to sponsor us so that the team will be able to move around when the league begins," said Campbell.

FINANCIAL STRUGGLES

"We also need refreshment to keep the players energised for training and for matches and so we are desperately in need of whatever support that we can get from anybody out there," she said.

She added that basketball is what brings the community together and despite the team's financial struggles the players will represent the tough South West St Andrew community to the best of their abilities.

"Basketball is the main vehicle that brings the community together in Majesty Gardens and it will be a big blow for us if the team don't participate in the competition," said Campbell.

"Especially like now when the violence is starting to erupt and basketball is what breaks it down and so if the team doesn't get to play and games don't come to the community, it is going to be a disaster," she said.

"The players are feeling bad they really want to play and their hearts are in this and they are seeing other teams receiving their gears and they are yet to receive any, kind of dampen their spirits," she said.

Legends have been one of most consistent teams in the NBL over the years. They lost in the finals to Tivoli Gardens in 2011. They also reached the semi-finals when the competition was last commissioned four years ago.